by L. K. Lewis
“You’re welcome, Morgan, I love you,” Amanda says, as she gives me a big hug and heads out of my apartment, leaving me feeling much more optimistic than I did about a half hour ago. It still doesn’t fully explain why Drake would bother asking Garrett to store his car and watch his place, but maybe that’s just another layer of Drake covering his tracks.
I get to work around 8:30am Tuesday, and almost immediately Grace calls me to let me know Mr. Baylor has requested my presence in his office at once. Knowing Drake would never meet me in his office, I am filled with dread knowing it’s the senior Baylor man that I’ve been requested to see. I enter the elevator, and take calming breaths all the way to the 30th floor. I’m met by Grace and only a half-smile as she shows me to Drake Sr.’s office.
Drake Baylor Sr.’s office is massive. Its color scheme is the same as the rest of the 30th floor with the various shades of green, but something about it exudes power and demands respect, just as a CEO’s office should. His desk is a bit taller than normal, and he has a large bar in the corner, with various amber colored liquors decanted in crystal. There is minimal art hanging on the wall, and judging by its style, I’d say it was something his wife picked out. I do manage to hide a smirk as I notice a golf putting game on the floor behind his desk. How very cliché.
“Have a seat, Miss Lane,” Drake Sr. calls to me, as I walk into his substantially large and intimidating office.
I have a seat in the brown leather chair across from the tall desk that makes me feel like Alice in Wonderland after she ate the cakes.
“I take it you spoke with my son last night and he explained to you what has happened?” Drake Sr. starts.
“No Sir, I haven’t seen Mr. Baylor since our meeting yesterday with Mr. Thompson,” I answer, as panic sets in.
He knows.
“Really, that’s surprising,” Drake Sr. continues. He’s leading me.
“Why would that be surprising, Sir?”
“Well, for someone as in love with you as my son claims to be, I would think he’d let you know that his position at this company has been dissolved.”
“His what?” I don’t even bother hiding my panic now. The jig is up anyway now, so who really cares?
“Did Drake happen to inform you that he was being vetted to take over my position as CEO of Baylor industries?” He asks
“Yes.”
“Did he tell you about my set of rules?”
“Yes.”
“Did he tell you of the consequences to breaking the rules?” His tone is so condescending right now I could slap him.
“Yes.”
“Did my son tell you that he is in love with you?”
“Yes,” I say as a goddamned tear escapes my eye. I refuse to cry, especially in front of this asshole, so I quickly wipe it away and lift my gaze to meet Drake Sr. straight in the eye.
“Are you in love with my son?” Drake Sr. asks, completely unfazed by my tear. Thank God.
“Yes.”
“So, Miss Lane, what you’re telling me is that you knew of the incredible goal my son was working to reach, you knew the set of rules set forth for him to abide by in order for him to obtain his goal, and you both chose to break those rules even though you knew of the consequences?”
“Only one of the rules,” I say daringly.
“Excuse me?”
“We only broke one of the rules. Drake doesn’t do drugs, and he drinks alcohol minimally, which are two of the three rules you set for him. You are speaking as if we laughed the rules away carelessly, and we didn’t. You told him he was not to be involved with a woman, and he got involved with me. That’s the only rule he broke. I would like to point out that until he met me, he had abstained from any activity with women, especially reckless activity like he used to participate in which is why I assume you set that rule. He had been perfect until he met me. He tried his damnedest to stay away from me, we both did. We fell in love. We tried to prevent that as well, but it happened anyway. We fell madly, hopelessly, soul crushingly, heart breakingly, rules be damnedly in love with each other. I’d like to point out too, Sir, that you didn’t say he couldn’t fall in love. Perhaps you meant that he couldn’t parade around with whores, and damage your company’s image like he would have in his past, but you didn’t tell him he couldn’t fall in love.”
“I believe it was implied, Miss Lane,” Drake Sr. says snidely.
“Semantics,” I shoot back.
“Getting back on course, Miss Lane, if I may … Drake may have only broken one of my rules as you pointed out, but alas, a rule was still broken. His actions caused him to lose the future he had in this company, and any future he wishes to have in this field. You both knew of the consequences before entering into your … relationship, and now Drake is suffering the consequences.”
“Where is he?” I ask.
“If he hasn’t contacted you by now, I’m sure he doesn’t want you to know that information, so I suggest you take my advice and let him go. Drake may have confessed his undying love for you, Morgan, but let me assure you, you aren’t the first one. My son gives his heart freely and frequently, and I bet he’s off somewhere warm and tropical licking his wounds in another woman’s arms.”
I don’t have an answer to that. I would never in a million years think Drake would do that to me, but Mr. Baylor is right, Drake hasn’t contacted me. He didn’t tell me anything. He really did leave me. Another tear escapes, and I’m once again quick to wipe it away.
“Now, Miss Lane. Where does that leave your employment status, you may be wondering? My first inclination after Drake confessed to your relationship was to let you go as well. After giving it a lot of thought last night, I have decided against that inclination.
“You have in a short time with this company proven to be a worthy asset, offering great insight to the Thompson account. You are a clever girl and the daughter of a good friend of mine, so I have decided to let you keep your job. After you leave my office today, we will never speak of this little incident again, but believe me when I tell you your position here is on thin ice and I’ll be watching you like a hawk. You are a bright young woman, Miss Lane, and I believe you have a very bright future in this company, but you have some trust and respect to regain with me.”
I sit for a moment, thinking about and replaying what Drake Sr. has just said. After a few more minutes, I have found my answer, and once again raise my gaze to look him straight in the eyes.
“Mr. Baylor, I appreciate everything you have done for me by bringing me into this company, especially the position you offered me straight out of grad school. I can’t, however, continue to work for a company that doesn’t support its top producers. Drake was your company’s top producer. He changed his entire life around to fit your mold, obey your rules, and do everything he could to make you proud and earn the title of CEO. He has worked his entire life, even before his mother killed herself, to earn your pride and respect, but you were too busy running your company to notice. After you remarried, you were too busy keeping your new younger model happy to realize your son was slipping away. Don’t you realize why Drake turned to drugs and the arms of women in the first place? He was trying to find the love and affirmation that you failed to provide for him, and for his mother as well.
“It’s your fault that he failed you so miserably. It’s your good fortune and my blessing that he’s even still alive to this day, something you should cherish, not send away. So while I appreciate your offer to keep my position with your company, I can’t in good faith accept it, because you have lost my trust and respect,” I say calmly and somehow collectedly, then I stand up, leave Drake Sr.’s office, and head down to the 15th floor.
As I already had assumed would happen, security meets me at the elevator, and escorts me to my office long enough to collect my purse and some personal belongings from my desk. I give them my employee badge and my parking pass, and they escort me out of the building all the way to my car and maintain their presence until I
have exited the garage.
I’m surprised by the fact that I haven’t collapsed into a full-blown meltdown. A few more tears have fallen and the reality of what I’ve just done sinks in but, all in all, I’m proud of myself and I know Drake would be proud of me too. I just stood up to his father and fought for us, just like I promised. The thought that Drake didn’t do the same makes me sad, but something in my gut tells me that he most likely isn’t in the arms of another woman. Wherever he is, he’s fighting for us. I know in my heart he is. Now I just have to find him.
Chapter 25
My car practically drives itself to Drake’s. As I expected, he’s not there. His car is gone as well now, I assume Garrett picked it up and brought it back to his place to store as promised. I peek in the windows, and I feel reassurance as I see that everything is still in its place. Drake is coming back, I just don’t know when.
I drive home, calling Amanda on the way and telling her everything that has happened in the first few hours of my day. When she is no longer hyperventilating (something she says she can’t believe I’m not doing at the moment), I let her know of my tentative new life plan, and she officially loses it.
“Morgan Lane, you are not just taking off to wander the world looking for Drake!” Amanda screams into my ear. I have to pull the phone away from my ear to prevent further hearing loss.
“I’m not going to wander the world, Amanda, I’m going to think of every brilliant place I could think of where he would be, and I’ll go there first. If I haven’t found him by the time I’ve exhausted those efforts, I’ll think of all of the logical places where he could be, then go there next. If I still haven’t found him by then, I’ll think of all of the most stupid places he could have gone, and I’ll look for him there. And if I still haven’t found him by then, I’ll go to Paris.”
“Paris, Morgie? Why Paris?”
“It’s the city of love, Amanda. If he isn’t in the most brilliant, logical, or stupid places on earth, he’ll be waiting for me there.”
“If he’s waiting for you there, Morgan, why don’t you go there now?”
“Because he isn’t there yet. He has things he needs to get out of his system first. He has to exercise and set his mind free, that’s how he works. He needs time to do that before we can find our love again and I’m hoping to find him along his journey, but if I don’t, I’ll find him in Paris.”
“How can you be so sure?” Amanda asks.
“Because I know him, Amanda. I love him with everything that I have and he’s counting on me to fight for him, to fight for us like I promised. My fight begins now.”
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading, and hopefully enjoying what is just the beginning of Drake and Morgan’s story. Want more Adrian? The next installment of the Breaking the Rules series will be out hopefully early 2014.
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About the Author
LK Lewis lives in Northern Michigan with her Husband and 2 year old son.
Born and raised in Michigan, LK spent her early twenties chasing the man of her dreams (now husband of 8 years) around the country, residing in both New York, and Portland, Oregon. While living in Portland, LK attended East West College of the Healing Arts, and is now a Massage Therapist, Makeup Artist, and Spa Owner.
When LK isn’t working, writing, or chasing her son around, she enjoys boat days, playing in the sunshine, and giggling with her husband. You may also find her on twitter most days, especially live tweeting The Bachelor/Bachelorette or The Walking Dead. Check her out, you may enjoy her colorful commentary!
Copyright © 2013 By LK Lewis, LK Lewis Writing
All rights reserved. Except for use in any revues, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part if any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, LK Lewis Writing, 06305 old us 31 s. Charlevoix, MI 49720 usa.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, Non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system by any means without the express written permission of the publisher, LK Lewis Writing.
This book is a work of fiction by the author. All character names, personalities, location are a creation and product of the authors wild imagination, and to her knowledge have no other existence. Any other relation to anyone bearing the same name or description is purely by coincidence.
Cover design © Arijana Kari, Cover It! Designs
ISBN: 9781483506661
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
A note to the reader
About the Author